We All Fall Sometimes
by Binky1987
Summary: AU. Lightly based on the Disney movie Mulan. A hero should be proud and although you admire them for being strong, maybe they aren't so strong on the inside. She could handle the ridicule of being a woman who was a soldier. She could handle battles, duels, training soldiers, everything but those deep, golden eyes watching her every move as her superior.
1. Chapter 1

**We All Fall Sometimes**

 **Part I**

Fate was a cruel and heartless thing.

She watched him through the crowd, his golden orbs alight with laughter and then playfulness as he teased his superior, General Mitsuhide.

He was her Captain. Her _superior_. She never thought she'd end up like this, in a real hot mess, over a man who had been the cause of a lot of physical pain through her years in the military. But, he must have done something right because she was now his greatest asset and accomplishment.

"There you are Shirayuki," said a voice from behind her, dropping the official Lieutenant from her name, since they were good friends now.

It was the Prince of Clarines, Zen Wistalia.

He stood tall and magnificent in his dress robes, compared to her. After all, she was just a soldier. A soldier, who had single-handedly saved their Kingdom, but without that status, she was a commoner. Shirayuki didn't have qualms with that, either, she never had. But she liked to put things into perspective.

"Look, I need to ask you something," he said with a smile. "I know this is a celebration for your promotion-"

"Your Grace, its not just mine," smiled Shirayuki. "But thank you, I'm honored."

Zen laughed. "Well, I know, but its mainly you. I think we should discuss something formally later on. The King will send for you, its quite important actually."

Shirayuki nodded. "Of course, your Grace."

He gave her a fond smile. "You look beautiful by the way, Shirayuki. To think that beauty like yours had been kept away underneath soldiers uniforms and armor," he laughed, waving, before walking off.

She smiled but inwardly disagreed.

"Lady Shirayuki," said a voice from behind her. She visibly soured, could she have no peace tonight?

The red head frowned, bunching material in her fist to lift up her gown (which she didn't approve of, since it hugged her bodice a little too tight), and turned to meet a noble with a smile on her face.

She couldn't place his name but sort of recognised him. He smiled and bowed slightly.

"Sir, I'm not a noble. I'm a soldier," she said a little rudely, trying to be polite about it but it annoyed her a little.

"Nonetheless, will you allow me this dance?"

Shirayuki's eyes widened at the suggestion and was about to answer when _his_ voice cut in.

"Apologies, Lord, but Shirayuki has been promised to someone else," said his smooth _annoying_ voice.

Her green orbs caught his golden ones to find that they sparkled with something she couldn't place.

The man walked off, annoyed, and she sighed. "Senpai, you know that's not true."

"Isn't it? So when your superior officer says you are to dance with him, you refuse? I feel like there was a similar situation way back when..." he said, pretending to think of something.

Shirayuki glared. "Senpai, if you're referring to when we were training to go to war, I didn't refuse. And it wasn't dancing, either, it was about being attacked while blind folded."

Obi laughed. "You're right, very different, but you almost did-"

"You threatened me, Sir. I recall it, too," she blanched.

"Actually, it was a different incident I was referring to. I think it was when you had mild hypothermia and I offered to-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Senpai," snapped Shirayuki as she turned and stormed off, flushed... _a hot mess_ again.

Obi watched her walk off. He watched how her dress clung to her curves, her long red tresses flowed behind her beautifully and he wondered, had she always been this magnificent?

Of course she had. The moment he laid eyes on her, he wanted her. Even when he thought she was a man in the training camp. He'd been lugged with a whole lot of worthless idiots, just when war had been declared, and then this apple red haired _boy_ shows up from conscription. The soldiers pinned their antics on him but he took it and didn't protest. Obi remembered how he noticed the delicate features of Shira Aki, how he would stare at her longer than the others, pick on her much more than everyone else and when the time came, he told her to pick up and go because Shira had been too weak and beautiful to be in a war they were about to face - knowing it was treason to send her off.

He was so wrong.

 _As she returned to her tent, she heard a cry and hurried footsteps. It was the cry of pain, not a battle cry. Suddenly, an arrow landed in her tent._

 _They were under attack._

 _"Get out of here, Ryuu. I have to help them," she said hurriedly and raced off, with her herbalist pack in hand._

 _At least she could do something confidently and know she would succeed._

 _She ran across the ground, arrows flew everywhere. This had been part of the training before, which she had failed at by the way, of dodging arrows on the battle field._

 _Although, when they were training, they weren't real arrows, more like apples flying through the sky._

 _But she had a mission, she had to save them. She could see ahead of her some tents were on fire and some soldiers were lying on the ground pierced with arrows. She was determined because she could see her Captain in the distance._

 _He was hiding underneath the tin shelter where the pot of gruel stood, which seemed to allow the arrows to bounce off. She ran forward with more vigor now, judging her footwork and using her instincts to dodge the arrows coming her way. Because she had to and she wouldn't die without helping the soldiers._

 _Ahead of her was a small bridge before it lead to the campsite. Obi was shouting orders but then his golden orbs fixated on her and widened. He went to run forward but winced because he had been shot with an arrow in his leg and some of his men held him back. He was shouting something at her but she couldn't hear it._

 _Shirayuki gripped her herbalist bag and ran forward. A shower of arrows came again. She looked up with confidence, her legs running faster than she had ever imagined._

 _An arrow was right above her so she dodged to the left. Another came and she rolled and kept running._

 _Finally she reached the shelter, just as two arrows came within an inch of her, she ducked, slid and turned, averting them as she had hoped._

 _Her Captain's eyes were wide with shock but she ignored it. She had to tend to him so he could continue to lead them all out of the chaos._

 _She pulled open her satchel and grabbed the herbs and bandages needed._

 _"Shira!" exclaimed the young soldier, Kazuki, who had always bullied her. His eyes were shocked too. Obi's arm was around his shoulder and on the other side of Obi was the one named Itoya._

 _He seemed more level headed but still had his eyes trained on her out of curiosity._

 _"Hold him down," she said, remembering to lower her voice again. "I have to break off the tip and pull out the arrow from the other side."_

 _They both nodded without question as they lowered Obi to the ground and held him, both on either side of him._

 _Obi hadn't spoken yet, he was too dumb founded. He looked back over to where she had run from...it was miles away and through the constant shower of arrows too._

 _ **Imagine that** , he'd thought._

 _Shirayuki wiped sweat off her brow as she finished her work. He was bandaged up tightly so he could at least move on his own now._

 _She began to put all the bandages, herbs and ointments back into her satchel and did up the front. Suddenly it was being lifted from the ground and she looked up to see Obi testing to see how heavy it was._

 _"Interesting," he murmured. It was pretty weighed down, with all the bottles of ointments, bandages and other first aid items. Much like a bucket of water._

 _And to think, Shira couldn't even run a mile before with a bucket of water and that wasn't under these stressful conditions._

 _Suddenly a man appeared in front of them, sword out, and her eyes widened. But her Captain didn't seem fazed. "Mister," greeted Obi._

 _The man who she noticed had a blue colour to his hair, looked down at Obi's wound and then to Shirayuki. "Looks like you didn't need medical help after all, Obi," smirked the man._

 _He was in a soldier's uniform and armor with gold trims. He must be a Captain or higher, Shirayuki thought._

 _Obi smiled and then his eyes met hers. His expression was thankful and so different to how he had regarded her half an hour ago._

 _"You took them out then," said Obi as he walked out of the shelter._

 _Shirayuki hadn't noticed the arrows had stopped, she'd been too busy ogling her Captain._

 _But alas, she'd brought shame to the Aki name because she was going home, after all._

 _She began to walk off when a hand was felt on her arm, causing her to turn to look up at her Captain in surprise._

 _"Obi-kun?" she'd questioned, forgetting to lower her tone._

 _He had a strange look in his eye but then they were narrowed as he removed his hand instantly (as if burned) and he stood, arms crossed over his chest._

 _"Soldier, is that how you refer to your Captain?" he snapped but there was a playful gleam in his eyes._

 _She could almost see a smile...or so she thought._

 _"Sir? I thought-"_

 _"You thought wrong. Do you think the Royal army would let go of a proficient medical officer who can also dodge a rain of arrows and then easily tend to the wounded?" his tone was harsh but it was obviously his way of demanding that she stay._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shirayuki stared over the balcony at the trees, the flowers everything that didn't remind her of her duties and her superior.

She looked down at her hands. Those hands of her had tended to many a wounded soldier, but they had also taken life too. It was mostly in the heat of battle, she wouldn't intentionally kill anyone, it wasn't her way.

She wondered why she was here and how she'd arrived at _this_ destination.

 _"The Aki family," spoke the man who was one of the advisors to the Wistalia Royal family._

 _Her green orbs watched from afar and she feared for her Grandpa. He would die if he joined the army again._

That moment changed her course drastically, if not for conscription, she would not be here.

She would never have met Captain Obi. Would that have been better than _this_? Maybe. But then she would not have accomplished all she had up until now.

She would never have saved the Kingdom and many probably would be dead. She was the hero. The hero with the red hair, Shirayuki Aki.

Shirayuki leaned, quite unceremoniously, against the stone balustrade, her arms crossed on top of it and her chin resting on top. Her bottom stuck out a little too but she didn't care. She was used to wearing men's clothes anyway.

"That's very unladylike, Miss," Obi said from behind her.

She didn't bother to turn this time, keeping her position. "You shouldn't call me that, Senpai."

His golden orbs went over her form appreciatively because, hell, no one was out there with them and she was facing the other way. He was only human after all.

He walked over and leaned on the railing too, looking out at the Royal garden as she had been doing for he last hour.

"Why not? Yes, you're a soldier... _my_ soldier, but in the end, you're still a Lady," he said, giving her a side glance.

She looked at him, noticing how his back was arched due to his height.

"Well, I may not be _your_ soldier after tonight, Sir."

This statement caused Obi to snap his head toward her. "What was that, Aki-kun?"

She hated it when he called her that and he knew it did too. There was something in his eyes that showed her how dangerous he was, like, there was something in his gaze she couldn't decipher.

But he'd always looked at her like that, from the moment she'd met him (and not by choice, either). Sometimes she would catch him giving her this look that was perplexing and then, as if there was some sort of fondness in his eyes, it would be gone.

She surmised it was just how he was.

 _Golden eyes narrowed down at her. "Your name, soldier," he drawled, clearly not pleased with the display he'd just come out of the tent to see._

 _"I-Its um, well I...its-"_

 _"I'm waiting," he snapped._

 _Was it her fault that him towering down at her, made her nervous? And that he was very attractive, compared to most of the soldiers around her, with his tanned skin, piercing golden eyes, short unkempt jet black hair and don't forget about how toned he was...and tall! His whole demeanor was confidence and commanding, something she'd always been attracted to.  
_

 _"S-Shira Aki, Sir!" she exclaimed in the deepest voice she could manage._

 _He regarded her for a second, noticing she had her red hair in a high bun (what an odd colour), like some of the other men who had long hair, and her armor was loose on her body (belonging to her Grandpa), so she sort of looked manly at least._

 _Then he turned to face everyone else._

 _Some of the soldiers were on the ground still, sporting blood noses and bruises. Others were standing, alert and straight backed, since the Captain had caught them all brawling._

 _They'd blamed her but she didn't do anything! Guess they thought she was the weakest link and they probably weren't wrong._

 _"Congratulations, men, you have Aki-kun to thank for what will be the longest night of your lives!"_

And he wasn't wrong with that statement. Not by a long shot and it brought shivers down her spine just thinking about that arduous night.

"The King wants to talk to me, I'm assuming its about my new orders," she explained with a sigh, turning back to the garden in front of her.

Her haven...sanctuary. When she had spare time and was stationed at the Royal castle, she would just sit on the bench below and take in the scent of flowers and greenery in the sunshine. It was the only thing that kept her sane, really. She liked cataloguing the flowers and herbs too, after all, she had been a herbalist before all this.

"Tch. You weren't gonna tell me if I hadn't said anything, huh?" he spat, clearly displeased with her answer.

He pushed off from the balustrade and walked toward the exit, back to the ballroom. "I'll come with you, lets go Yuki."

Shirayuki huffed and nodded, following her Captain. "Its Lieutenant, Sir."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"For how long, your Grace?" asked Obi evenly. He masked his annoyance and incredulity well, too well.

But Shirayuki could tell he was pissed, between the gaze he gave her and then that question...what would she do?

"As long as it takes. Lieutenant, you will be under the command of Captain Hisame Lugis. He has to draw out battle plans, he doesn't have time to train the soldiers too. War has already broken in Lyrias so soldiers are coming in and out plus the new recruits," explained Prince Zen, earning a nod of agreement from King Izana.

Their eyes were all on her, except for Obi. He was inwardly seething, she could tell.

"She's not ready," he said coldly and she gasped at his words like they burned her.

Her green orbs searched his face for a reason...anything to show that he was joking or _something_.

But he didn't look at her, nor did he waver. He was dead serious.

"Obi...its been two years since you trained her and she's carried out plenty of orders since then. Her capabilities are beyond reproach and she's proven her skills time and again. Not to mention she saved my life and the King's, saved the whole Kingdom of Clarines and is loyal - hell she was willing to sacrifice her life to save us all," explained Zen and Shirayuki smiled in appreciation.

Oh, she was _so_ beyond ready.

The last sentence really seemed to bother Obi. His jaw tightened because he knew just how much the statement held truth.

 _In front of her, a man with silver hair was fighting a man with long brown hair, tied up into a pony tail. And to her right, she saw the King at sword point. Touka held it while staring down at her, his eyes murderous and deadly._

 _"Another move and the King dies," he snarled._

 _She had her sword pointing at him but began to lower it slowly. She couldn't endanger King Izana like this._

 _Suddenly the silver haired man looked up, his eyes widened at her presence, but that was all his opponent needed to knock him out._

 _He advanced on her but she held her sword up firmly at the ready._

 _It happened all in slow motion. Obi's priority had been King Izana, he'd already grabbed him as Shirayuki turned and sliced Mihaya's torso and then ducked as Touka lunged his sword at her, effectively puncturing Mihaya's chest instead._

 _His eyes had been wide with horror and disbelief but Touka didn't even flinch._

 _She backed toward the pole which held her freedom and she glanced to where Obi was safely on the roof of another building with King Izana. She missed how Obi's eyes were wide and he screamed her name from where he stood on the opposite building because she was focused on Touka._

 _Touka eyed where the King stood and the spot where she stood. She sliced away his hopes of reaching the King and he screamed in anger._

 _"You took away everything," he spat. " **You**...the boy with the red hair."_

 _Shirayuki steadied herself, bringing up her sword in a combat stance._

 _A few minutes later, she found herself struggling to breath, her legs dangling off the edge into the air. He held a strong hand on her slender neck with one arm, holding her over the balcony, squeezing the life from her. Her small slender hands trying to pry his hold from her, but it was no use.  
_

 _"This is what the Royal Army has to offer? A woman who got in over her head...how pathetic," he spat._

 _But she had one more option left to her. She used what strength she had, using her core muscles, she swung her legs upward, pinning his neck around her thighs._

 _Touka's eyes widened and he backed away from the edge, knowing what she was trying to do._

 _She then leaned up quickly and pulled herself backwards, using the force of her body to roll backwards with her enemy rolling with her and threw him through the balustrade and off the edge._

 _It all went so fast - how was **she** to know he'd grab her at the last second. And now they were both falling to their death. She swore she'd heard someone say her name. _

_Obi had seen what she was going to do, the stupid fool. Hadn't he told her that she shouldn't take on men she couldn't handle?_

 _He looked over to the King who nodded his consent and then he jumped, rope tied to one arm (so he knew it was going to come out of his socket shortly) and grabbed Shirayuki's falling body in mid-air. He wrapped his arms around her small form and she gasped in surprise._

 _"Obi!" she'd gasped before their descent came to a sudden stop. He winced in pain as the rope tightened and they were swinging, a couple of meters off the ground. Their bodies hit the side of the building and they both gasped in pain._

 _"What the hell's wrong with you, Aki? I swear you never listen to your commanding officer," Obi said, a little out of breatb, masking his worry and the fact that she could have died._

 _As they held onto each other in the air she laid her head onto his chest, hear heart pounding, giving in for just a moment to take advantage of their position. He didn't resist, in fact he tightened his grasp on her body, resting his chin on top of her head._

 _"I'm sorry, but I'm not your soldier anymore, remember?" She'd looked up at him with those innocent green orbs and he wondered what had come over him._

 _Risking his own life to save hers was new for him and it hadn't been an order. He'd done it out of his own volition._

 _"That's not for you to say, is it?" he snapped._

 _She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry...for everything. My grandfather was going to be conscripted, I couldn't let him die. P-please understand, Captain."_

 _Obi was surprised by her confession but he understood it. She was brave, and kind and everything a soldier shouldn't be and yet, here she was...the savior of the Kingdom...an apple red haired woman with more balls and integrity than anyone he'd ever known._

 _Just what was he getting into exactly, having this beautiful girl as his pupil? Trouble, that's what._

Obi shook his head. "That was one man...this is war. She'll be on the front lines and she hasn't done that before-"

"Enough. Despite what is publicly known, her actions two years ago of impersonating a man have not yet been paid-"

"Yes, your highness, and the debt I believe was to be paid under my command," interrupted Obi.

Mitsuhide inhaled a little and looked to the King to see he was not happy. Obi was a respected Captain, yes, but to interrupt the King was pushing the boundaries.

"I will decide how she will pay her debt, Captain. She is needed in Lyrias, however, the final decision is on Shirayuki. You can refuse, Lieutenant if you wish. Either way, your debt has still not been settled."

Obi snapped his head toward her and she looked forlorn. "Your Grace, could I have a couple of hours and get back to you?"

King Izana nodded. "But no more."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They'd been in silence for a while, walking down the corridor to her chambers which happened to be right near his. She supposed being a trusted Lieutenant had its perks.

"Why did you say I'm not ready?" she asked, piercing through the silence as she looked up at him.

Obi had a dark expression. He didn't want to answer.

"Maybe its the truth," he said vaguely, turning to face her fully.

They were inches apart and she wondered how they'd gotten so close and his eyes fell to her locks of hair. "Don't you want to be around me, Shirayuki?"

Her eyes widened at his words, where had this come from?

"Y-you know its not that, Sir-"

"Why do you keep calling me that when its just us? Ever since I met you...you keep doing it. You keep doing things that surprise me and you've no idea what it does to me," he said, huskily at the end and his eyes were hooded and unreadable again.

His fingers had somehow found their way to a few locks of her hair, playing with it gently and something danced beneath his eyes...was it fondness again? He leaned down, his lips a hairs breadth from hers, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"I-I should go and reflect, Sir," she had said and within a second she was gone.

Obi stared at his hand where he had touched her hair, almost saddened by the absence of the touch. He'd almost done it, he was such an idiot.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Two hours had passed and she thought long and hard. Obi was angry at her, she knew he was. Maybe she wasn't ready, as he had said.

She had a duty but she was also indebted to Obi. So she would have to refuse, the King himself did say she could.

The red haired woman closed her door softly to find someone waiting for her.

"Lieutenant Shirayuki, I presume?" asked the voice.

Green orbs studied the light brunette for a moment, trying to work out where she'd come from and who exactly she was.

"My name is Torou," she smiled.

Shirayuki regarded her for a moment. She was a sight to behold, confident, beautiful and also a noble, judging from her beautiful, expensive dress. Her eyes were alight with amusement and were curious too. The woman also studied Shirayuki.

The soldier wore boots, black tights and a loose fitting black short sleeved t-shirt which came to just below her mid-drift. She had planned to go and train for an hour with one of the soldiers before going to see the King.

"Well, you do look the part, Lieutenant."

Shirayuki cracked a half smile but her eyes were unsure and Torou could see that.

"Oh, my apologies. I'd just come from Obi's quarters and wanted to see his protege for myself," smiled Torou, pulling some of her stray golden brown locks behind her ear.

That line made Shirayuki's heart beat a little fast. She'd done what now?

"Oh, I see," said the red head, her green orbs showing a little more than she'd liked. Her eyes lowered to the ground, unsure of how she felt.

Was it jealousy? Well, a little. But she supposed it was more of a sadness because she knew that her superior was connected and he owned lands of his own now, due to his various achievements and the King was quite generous if you served him well. That meant that he was a catch and he probably would become the husband to a beautiful woman, like Torou.

Where as she was just a Lieutenant and although she had the land her grandparents left and it was her home at the moment, that was uncertain because she was a woman and officially couldn't own land. If she didn't marry, she would lose it, and she wasn't going to marry.

"That bothers you, doesn't it?"

Shirayuki's throat became dry and her heart bounded into her throat.

"I can see it does. I hear you're close with him, although, this is my first time meeting you so perhaps that isn't quite right," said Torou bluntly. She wasn't trying to be horrible or rude, Torou had always been one to simply speak the truth. "I apologise if that came off rudely, I am simply stating what I see."

Shirayuki pulled a smile, it was stretched, but she hoped the noble wouldn't see that.

"I understand, my Lady," she said, nodding. "I-I apologise but I have duties."

Torou raised an eyebrow. "Duties? I hear you've been offered a position far from here." Reading between the lines, she guessed that Torou was advising her to take it.

Shirayuki had turned to leave but her eyes met Torou's once more. "That's true, Lady Torou."

The brunette smiled. "Are you off to train? I would like to observe from the balcony from the ballroom, it overlooks the court yard."

Shirayuki nodded respectfully. "As you wish."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 _What is it she wanted exactly?_ She ducked, avoiding a slice to the torso easily.

 _Should she go? Leave Obi...her Captain to get his life together in the Capital?_ Parrying an attack, she flipped away her opponent's sword and it landed with a clang on the ground.

"You're not even concentrating on this and you still beat me," laughed Kazuki, sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Again!" she exclaimed with a challenging smile as she handed him his sword.

 _She would miss him, terribly, but he only thought of her as a pupil. He had a woman like Torou, after all, what is she compared to a woman like that?_ She blocked his sword again and again until he was backed against a wall with her sword tip to his neck.

They were only wooden after all, but very effective.

"You win, Yuki," he laughed. "Lets do it again some time!" She bowed respectfully and smiled at him.

"Yeah," she smiled, watching him run off the soldier's quarters or perhaps to go and annoy Itoya. He had been promoted too, today. To Captain.

Her mind went back to Obi. What was wrong with her? She had to stop thinking of Obi that way. She looked up to see Torou on the balcony, watching her as promised, but she was turned now, talking to someone.

Shirayuki stood in the courtyard, by herself, her wooden practice sword pointed to the ground in a relaxed fashion by her side.

She wasn't really sure what Torou's intentions were, other than courting Obi, but why speak to her as she had? Suddenly a soft laugh caught her attention and she focused on Torou again.

The brunette turned slightly, a distinct blush on her cheeks and then the eyes of the person she was talking to came into vision. His eyes widened on Shirayuki's form below, her hair flowing slightly in the wind behind her.

The two above her looked to be standing close from her position, almost intimately. Her eyes clouded and looked away, placing the wooden sword back in its place by the entrance as she walked quickly to her destination.

It was time to move on, to forget. She felt nothing but clarity now because this was better for her and for him. He deserved happiness after everything he'd done for her and she was going to give it to him. And she would always admire him for how brilliant a fighter he was and how he had protected and saved her numerous times on missions for the King. How he made her realise that although she was a woman, she could achieve greatness in the King's army.

They had a special bond, even she could see that, but it was one that could never be _more_ and she had to move on from this.

"The King's waiting for you, Lieutenant."

She heard hurried footsteps behind her that came to a stop and as she walked into the throne room, just passing the door, she saw his golden orbs staring at her retreating to her duty.

But she didn't stop.

"Ah, your decision, Lieutenant," spoke Izana as he gave a folder to Mitsuhide and then his eyes focused on Shirayuki's crouched form in front of him. "Be at ease, Shirayuki."

She nodded and stood with a small smile. "I-I accept the position. Please send me to Lyrias."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ryuu met her at the path that lead out of Clarines, she wasn't sure why, but she was glad he was here.

"You came," she smiled down at him.

He nodded as he got on the back of the horse with her. "Lets go to Lyrias."

 _"Did you kill that boy?" Shirayuki asked with a sad expression._

 _Ryuu sighed. "He was already dead, I'm borrowing his body. If I stay too long in it though, I can't return and I'll be stuck in him until he dies again."_

 _Shirayuki looked horrified. "How long?"_

 _"Well, probably a few months and then I should go back to the Ancestors. So you better hurry up and bring honor to our family before I get stuck."_

 _She'd found Ryuu to be good company, despite him being gloomy and cold at times. But she felt like she was affecting him._

 _"I hope he shuts you down quickly. All you do is talk about him, and why is he shirtless half the time anyway? Its unnecessary," whined Ryuu as he cut some herbs up for Shirayuki._

 _She laughed and ruffled the dark purpled haired boys locks. "Who were you exactly in my family, Ryuu?"_

 _He narrowed his eyes at her, stopping his work and dropped the knife. "I **told** you my name is Namako. And I would probably equate to your great times eleven grandfather. So respect your elders and refer to their name properly!"_

Ryuu never went back to the Ancestors. He was stuck in the boy's body now and she never understood why.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A month had passed and finally they were starting to get used to the snow covered grounds of Lyrias.

Shirayuki strode confidently in front of the men, scrutinizing their positions as they performed Kata with wooden sticks in their hands. They were getting better and finally they respected her. It had taken at least a week for that to happen.

 _"You can't seriously expect us to learn form this little woman," whined a blonde haired man, rolling his eyes at her._

 _"Are you questioning me, soldier?" exclaimed Lugis, his dark orbs eying the soldier with annoyance._

 _"Not you Sir! Just... **her** ," his eyes pointed at her and she stared back with equal measure. _

_The Captain opened his mouth but she held a hand up. "Allow me, Sir," she said, her eyes then falling to the soldier._

 _"Why is it that you object? Because I'm a woman? Because you think I'm weak?"_

 _The soldier frowned. "Weak, I could care less what gender you are, although, a lot of the other men probably do. Its a known fact that men are physically stronger, do you really think you have a chance?"_

 _"But you know my accomplishments, yes?"_

 _The soldier's jaw tightened. "Yes."_

 _"What is your name?"_

 _"Suzu Hano, Lieutenant."_

 _"Hano, fight me in hand to hand combat and see for yourself," she said, with a sly smile._

 _He frowned and then looked to Captain Lugis and he simply nodded._

 _They stood in front of all the other soldiers in battle stances. He made the first move but she dodged his punch easily and countered with an open palm to his chest._

 _"At least make it harder, Hano," she goaded with a straight face._

 _He knew she was just trying to make him angry but it was working._

 _Suzu ran forward with a flying round house kick but she dodged slightly to the right, avoiding the kick and also grabbed his leg in mid-air and flipped him to the ground with ease._

 _He knew his defeat. They could go on longer but he could see that she was skilled because her demeanor showed weakness but she was actually the opposite._

 _It was an asset because he imagined that a lot of people underestimated her. No wonder she saved their Kingdom. She held out a hand, offering to help him up, her green eyes full of humility._

 _Although physically she was small, it was her hair that dumbfounded him. It was so beautiful, despite it being up in a pony tail, and also disarming. He imagined if she were dressed in women's clothing that she would be the talk of the town._

 _He took her hand and gave her an apologetic smile._

 _"My apologies, Lieutenant. Please allow us to begin."_

She walked into the soldier's floor, went straight down the hall and saw that Captain Lugis was still here. He was supposed to be going to the front lines today.

The war was fought on the border between the nation of Glangolt and Clarines. Glangolt bordered with both Tanbaran and Clarines but Tanbaran had yet to join the fight since they had not yet been attacked.

The fighting had been steady and quite evenly on both sides so far but Captain Lugis had heard word from spies that they had acquired quite a lot of men.

"Captain," she said and he nodded from his desk. She opened the door and walked in, bowing slightly.

"I heard the news, Sir. When will you leave?"

He looked up and smiled at her. "Very soon, in about half an hour actually. But don't worry, someone will be taking my place. I'm probably going to be out there for quite some time. Eventually you'll have to join me with your recruits."

This almost seemed like dejavu as this is what happened when General Haruka had left herself and her comrades in Obi's care over two years ago when the war with the rebels was upon them. But then he had met his demise, due to Touka Bergatt, and so did his men. Obi had been devastated.

She hoped that it wouldn't be a repeat of last time's outcome.

 _The village was burned to the ground. He clenched his fists because his mentor, General Haruka, was among the dead. He was practically a father to him and those bastards killed them like they were nothing._

 _Not to mention the women and children they had needlessly slaughtered._

 _The soldiers behind him were solemn, down trodden and sorrowful. There were one hundred soldiers here, all dead..._

 _"We have to keep moving. We will reach Wistal in a few hours," he said coldly, uniformly, like he wasn't affected at all by this scene._

 _But Shirayuki knew better. She could see in his eyes that he was mourning and he was afraid._

 _Touka Bergatt was deadly and he had an army full of skilled warriors who had been fighting battles since they were able to walk. He ploughed through this village like it was nothing and she had no doubt that they would see him very soon._

 _The soldiers began to move to the direction they were heading in before they came across death, but, Obi still stood on the cliff face, staring into nothing._

 _Her footsteps were heard, crunching on the snow behind him. She placed a small hand on her superior's back in comfort, rubbing up and down for a minute before she walked off to join her friends._

"He'll should be here any minute actually," spoke Lugis, regarding her with a playful gaze. "You know him, Lieutenant."

Shirayuki raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll be sure to welcome him, tomorrow."

Lugis nodded and went back to his paperwork. "Make sure Suzu isn't around with that girl, he needs to focus."

The red head laughed, adjusting the position of her katana on her hip and walked off.

She knew this man, huh? Well, she hoped it was Itoya coming not some tall, gorgeous, golden haired Captain whom she did _not_ want to see.

When she arrived at home, a space that was hers in the herbalist wing, she found that Ryuu was sound asleep. It was quite late. She closed his door and went out into the living area.

It was late, probably early morning actually, but she knew she couldn't sleep, she never could. So she began to strip down to her underwear and practice Kata in the lounge room. She wore nothing but lacy pants (courtesy of Yuzuri, a lovely pharmacist she often conversed with in Lyrias) and a sports bra, her long red hair dangled down to just above her bottom.

She spun, moving her feet and brought her arm forward with a open palm and as she turned, she heard a sound and stopped her ministrations.

Did it come from the window? Her green orbs turned to look where she thought it had come from. It couldn't have been the window, if anyone could even climb up there, they would have to be skilled and that didn't really meet up to _her_ soldiers capabilities.

Shirayuki huffed, grabbed her dagger that laid on the couch and unsheathed it. She swore the window had been closed, but it was half open now. The cold, frosty air of Lyrias greeting her. She narrowed her eyes, letting the tip of her dagger rest on her thigh for a moment.

"If anyone's there, they better come out, or so help me-"

"Hiya," said a voice as golden eyes met hers, upside down from the window.

Shirayuki automatically stood into a combat stance with her dagger an inch from his face.

Obi. That _bastard_.

He turned his body, using his hand to grip above the window and his feet softly met the window sill in a crouch. She'd always known he was nimble but this was just showing off.

Finally, she lowered her weapon and huffed in annoyance, walking back over to the couch. She grabbed the sheath for her katana and put it back in, then turned sharply at Obi, who now stood inside the room, leaning against the window. His golden orbs were currently _not_ on her eyes and then she realised her position.

"You came into my room unannounced so you better have an explanation... _Sir_ ," she snapped, arms folded over her chest.

Obi seemed to frown and started to focus again on her face. "I-uh, I've been assigned to Lyrias as Captain, to replace Captain Lugis."

He held a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously.

Shirayuki sighed, she was half naked and talking to her Captain. She was really going to hell and Torou would hate her for this, if she came across this right now.

"I better go get changed then, wouldn't want Lady Torou ripping you a new one," she laughed nervously, rushing off to the door to the bedroom.

His eyes widened but she didn't see it because she had raced to the bedroom quickly.

She came out with a loose fitting half t-shirt and tight light grey shorts, effectively her night wear and closed the door softly.

He frowned. "Is someone in there?" he asked with an odd tone to his voice.

He faced the other way on the couch but if she could see his face, she would have seen how pissed he looked.

She sighed. "Yeah."

His jaw clenched as he got up from the couch. "Did she say something to you? Is that why you left?"

Shirayuki stiffened, her eyes slightly panicked and as his golden orbs met hers she turned away quickly so he couldn't see. He was advancing on her, walking toward her, clearly wanting an explanation that she _wasn't_ going to give.

"Its nice here. Quiet, cold but you get used to it. In another life, maybe I would have come here to research with the Herbalists," she said with a smile, thinking about what her life would be like if she hadn't gone to war those years ago.

He looked at her with a curious expression, like he was trying to figure her out.

"Did Lugis send you here? I thought he would have left by now?" she asked, her voice questioning.

Obi shook his head. "This was my first point of call and you never answered my question. She said something, didn't she? Look, its not-"

"Please don't, Sir. The truth is, I took this position for you."

He looked at her incredulously. "Why the hell would I want you to take this, Aki?"

Shirayuki turned. "It doesn't matter anymore," she said quietly, barely above a whisper as tears began to form in her eyes. "I-I'll see you tomorrow then, Captain, please let yourself out."


	2. Chapter 2

**We All Fall Sometimes**

 **Part II**

 **A/N:** _So sorry people, have stretched this to 3 parts! Thanks for reading too! Its not that popular on this site but I still will finish it regardless! Enjoy!_

* * *

Ryuu watched her from his spot on a less snow covered bench, reading a herbalist book and wondered what was going to become of Shirayuki. She'd faced the first trial two years ago when she overcame her fears, brought her family honor and risked her life to save the kingdom.

Her second trial had been one of the heart. Ryuu believed she had won the trial by coming here, to Lyrias, with selfless intentions. But now _he_ followed her.

He said he had been ordered to come but Ryuu had a sneaking suspicion about that.

"Little Ryuu," said a voice to the right of him.

He heard the crunching of snow which told him he was coming and so he faced his violet orbs toward the noise to see Captain Obi, striding toward him.

Ryuu shut his book, placing it beside him as he looked up at Obi sternly.

"I'm surprised you're not shirtless. I thought that was your thing," said Ryuu as his eyes turned back to look at Shirayuki in the distance.

He felt the bench weigh down a little, knowing that Obi had decided to sit beside him.

The Captain now wore a fur jacket over his Royal army uniform, a hat that really didn't fit the part of a Captain (flaps on the side and in Ryuu's opinion it looked goofy) and a black scarf adorned around his neck.

"Well, its a tad cold here and I'm not training men," he said sheepishly, knowing that Shirayuki must have told him about that.

Obi had never seen Ryuu at the training camp site but he _had_ been there and in fact had seen him shirtless himself - but he wasn't going to tell him that.

It had been later on that he had met Ryuu. He'd been introduced to Obi as her little brother because they lived together and he was young still.

She couldn't tell her Captain that Ryuu was actually her ancestor who was now stuck in a small boy's body that he'd picked up on the way to guide Shirayuki down a path that the Aki family's ancestors believed to be only filled with shame.

Ryuu didn't even like Obi...at first, but he was starting to warm up to him. Even though he hated that Obi caused her only but pain - not that the guy knew he was, but still.

"They've improved dramatically, not that I'm an expert. I think at this rate, they'll be almost ready to go to war in a week or two," said Ryuu softly as he picked up his book again, crossed his legs and began to get back to where he was.

He didn't hear a response from Obi and when Ryuu looked up, the young Captain had started walking toward where Shirayuki was. He thought it strange he hadn't answered and wondered if it was due to Shirayuki going to the front lines of the war.

She was watching her soldier's techniques now as they ran through a Kata with poles in their hands but this was just their warm up.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"What the hell, Sir?"

"Is that really how you should speak to your superior?" he snapped, leaning against Lugis' desk - well, his now. He had his arms folded over his chest trying to look commanding but underneath, he felt guilty.

It was for her own good though.

"You know damn well you don't care about that!" she shrilled angrily, her eyes lit up with fury as she paced the floor in front of him. "Why did you say they're not ready when they are! Why did you undermine me in front of them? Captain Lugis would never-"

"Oh wouldn't he? And why is that then? Traded in one Captain for another, have you?"

She stopped pacing and looked up at him in both shock and incredulity.

"Why are you even here, Sir? I thought you were happy where you were? You told me yourself you hate the cold," said Shirayuki quietly, her eyes averted now.

Obi looked down at her, trying to work out if she actually meant happy with a person rather than being happy in general - like she had said the night he had arrived.

"They're not ready and that's _final_." _Just like you're not ready._

Shirayuki nodded silently, bowed respectfully before walking toward the door. "I didn't trade you in, if that's what you're saying."

Before she had closed the door fully, herself being on the other side now, she found it was being held open, his questioning amber colored orbs staring down at her questioningly.

"Tell me why you took this mission, Aki."

Shirayuki let go of the door. "I _told_ you-"

"You never explained it. I was against it from the start, you know that. Why would you even think that by taking this, you were doing what I wanted?" he demanded, leaning forward and resting his forearm on the door frame above her head, his other arm firmly on the edge of the door still holding it open.

His eyes searched hers for answers but she continued to avoid his gaze as much as she could.

It had been bugging him for the last few days since his arrival; her last words and how sad she looked.

"I told you, it doesn't matter. If you were ordered to come here, Sir, then so be it."

With that she walked off and tried to pretend he wasn't affecting her. _Don't let him see, don't let him in._ That had been her mantra since his arrival but it didn't seem to be working.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I don't understand him, Yuzu," sighed Shirayuki as she stretched herself on top of one of the library desks, across from the blonde haired Herbalist researcher.

The Lieutenant lay with her body lying face up, wearing only her black short sleeved undershirt, leggings and boots (since it was cozy inside). Her swords and daggers laid carelessly on the floor in their sheaths, underneath the desk, tied to one belt that she had thrown off her body as soon as she had arrived. It was like shedding a persona that she showed to everyone outside, but with Yuzuri, could take it off and be so easily unguarded. Her hair was out of the pony tail she wore daily, the long locks sprawled all around her on top of the desk and some had fallen over the edge of the desk like an apple red silky waterfall, that was un-moving.

Yuzuri had always listened to the female Lieutenant talking about this mysterious Captain of hers, but tonight Shirayuki was more affected than ever.

She and Shirayuki didn't get along at first, thinking that Shirayuki had been in over her head by training soldiers. Yuzuri had even made comment that she would have done better to be her assistant Herbalist than train with those brute men since she'd observed Shirayuki several times throughout the day. Shirayuki often trained the men by forcing them to run around town (her running ahead of them) and that was just a warm up. Yuzuri had noticed in her observations that Shirayuki seemed authoritative and commanding but there was a kindness to her and where she had imagined that the new _female_ Lieutenant would be more masculine and butch, she was actually none of those things. Shirayuki was toned, fit and very capable - Yuzuri had noticed - but she was also beautiful and somewhat graceful, especially when she fought with the soldiers.

If Yuzuri could put a word to how Shirayuki moved, when performing martial arts, she would have to say it was 'dance'. Methodical, strong and effective but also full of grace. And so Yuzuri felt that Shirayuki was way over her head because although she put these soldiers to shame, every time she sparred with them, Yuzuri could see a side of Shirayuki that they didn't see. She wasn't _meant_ for this.

But after Shirayuki had saved her from an attack, on the outskirts of Lyrias as she had been collecting samples for her work (she would collect them in a hurricane, if she had to), she realised how caring and devoted Shirayuki was to her work. And how surprisingly brutal and skilled she was...and so different to how she performed in practice with her men.

Shirayuki was different when faced with real opponents, it seemed. Her eyes fierce, dangerous but perhaps that wasn't right. No, it was more protective. Was it because of her?

They were cut from the same cloth, Yuzuri worked out, because where Shirayuki was completely devoted to carrying out the orders given to her (and protecting those who needed protecting), Yuzuri felt the exact same devotion about her Herbalist research.

And as the girls got to know each other, they both found that they had much more in common (including apparent unrequited love, which had since been resolved for Yuzuri) and so every night, after Shirayuki's shift ended, the red head found herself on Yuzuri's door step. They would talk and eat together (and drink, if the occasion called for it, which was mostly always) and it was in those moments that Yuzuri found out that Shirayuki loved someone.

"Its him, isn't it?" said Yuzuri, her eyes focused on the book in front of her but she was listening to all of Shirayuki's words, despite looking like she wasn't. "Captain Obi."

Shirayuki fell into silence and continued to look up at the ceiling.

If people came in right that second, they would probably yell at Shirayuki for being so disrespectful in a library. But with just Yuzuri, she just felt so damn relaxed, like she'd known the girl all her life.

And Ryuu sat in another corner, a head in a book too. He'd been listening on and off but the whole situation frustrated him, so he was keeping out of it with fear of saying something he'd regret.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Yuzuri suddenly slammed down her book, turned and glared at Shirayuki. She sat on a chair, back facing Shirayuki but craned her neck around to face her pointedly.

Shirayuki's eyes found hers and although her expression showed no emotion, she could tell there were a myriad of feelings behind those forest colored orbs.

"He obviously cares if he came all the way to this cold, frost bite town. You've told me every aspect of what happened and why you left and I never gave my opinion on it."

Shirayuki sighed. "I thought you did. You said I was stupid."

"Yeah, well you are!" snapped Yuzuri, her blue orbs filled with annoyance.

The red head turned back to look at the ceiling, her hands entwined, resting on her stomach.

"Tch. You're only saying that because Suzu returns your feelings now-"

"Excuse me! But for the longest time, he was a jerk and didn't, remember? You arrived here at the peak of that nonsense!"

Shirayuki laughed. "And you're with him because I intervened!"

And then Yuzuri fell silent, but if Shirayuki had been looking, she would have seen the dangerous glint in her friend's eyes.

"You know, I _owe_ you."

Shirayuki sat up abruptly, her eyes wide and then they were narrowed all in the matter of a second. "You wouldn't _dare_!"

Yuzuri hummed, her eye brows raised. "Wouldn't I?"

The red head grumbled. "Look, Yuzu, its different. The situation is different. Suzu is a soldier and you're a Herbalist."

The blonde girl rolled her eyes and looked to her friend. "What? Because he's your-"

And then she stopped talking because someone was standing at the entrance to the library. Even Ryuu had perked up, his book now on the face of the desk.

"What do we have here?"

"Captain Obi," said Yuzuri, respectfully, looking over to Shirayuki who was off the desk in a flash and stood rigidly beside it but knowing it was too late to even _try_ to look professional.

Whoops. She was going to be in trouble now.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Three times he'd caught her now. Three times he'd seen her in such a disrespectful state after hours. She knew he should be reprimanding her and yet for some reason he hadn't yet.

Shirayuki was a soldier first and foremost, it didn't matter if technically her shift had ended because soldiers can go home after duty but in the end, they're still required to be called upon at any time. It was one of the rules that if you are in a public place (like the library) that you are to be dressed appropriately, officially and be armed. No matter where you're stationed.

And now this was the third time he'd caught her. In the library again, with Yuzuri and Ryuu.

The thing was though that he'd seen her like this many other times, before Lyrias, because they used to go on missions together all the time. Sometimes just the two of them and not just during the day but sometimes they would be surveying or performing reconnaissance and would be away for weeks. This meant that they were usually more casually dressed, especially at night.

But she supposed it was since she decided that she wanted to try and cut ties with him - for his sake - that things had changed. Captain Obi was firstly her Captain so she couldn't be relaxed around him, not anymore.

"I'm sorry, Sir," she murmured as they walked back to her room.

Only the sounds of their boots crunching in the snow could be heard. He walked slightly ahead of her, so she couldn't see his face, and he was more silent than usual because ever since he'd arrived, Obi had tried to coax conversation out of her. She'd tried her damnedest to stop herself from lulling back into what they had before she'd left Wistal but sometimes she too easily slipped back into her old ways.

Suddenly he stopped and she'd nearly walked straight into his back.

"You know I don't care about that stuff, Aki," he said before turning to face her with a grin.

Such an Obi grin, she'd thought, before a grin of her own started to form on her lips like _betrayal_.

"Even so, Sir. It won't happen again."

He turned to face her properly, looking down at her with one of his signature unreadable expressions. "Don't lie, Shirayuki, it doesn't suit you."

Although he was saying it about how she said she wouldn't be caught in her undergarments again, somehow, she knew it wasn't just about that.

They started walking again.

"I've heard word that there's movement in soldiers, over the border," said Obi in a deep tone. One that he didn't hold often, well, he never used to.

"Then I need to take my soldiers to give Captain Lugis aid," said Shirayuki, still trying to convince her Captain that they were ready and needed.

Obi didn't answer straight away. They walked side by side now and it was then that she noticed he was wearing a black long sleeved shirt, black soldiers pants and boots with a fur hooded cape, his black scarf underneath. It was quite casual, considering he was a Captain.

He'd always held himself with authority since she'd known him but sometimes, when it was just the two of them, he would slouch a little and made it seem like he was shorter than he actually was. Like he was now.

"I agree he needs aid, which I'm sure he will send word for within the month, but not from you. I'll lead them-"

"No offense Sir, but, the whole point of me being stationed here was for _this exact purpose_ ," exclaimed Shirayuki, incredulously.

She stood in front of him now, in the middle of the empty, snow covered street. Her eyes were full of ferocity and although she had been respectful about his orders thus far, enough was enough.

"Tell me why you keep saying that, Sir! You know they're ready...that _I'm_ ready!" she snapped, frustrated and not caring if it offended him or if she was being insubordinate.

Obi looked taken aback for a moment, his golden orbs full of surprise.

"Tell me why you took this post then."

Shirayuki narrowed her eyes. "I _told_ you, I was ordered-"

"You chose it, Aki, he didn't force you!" he countered back.

She was at her tether, the anger inside her couldn't be held back anymore.

"Christ," she spat in anger. "I did it because I-I couldn't do it anymore, okay?!"

His eyes widened. "Do what?"

And then her eyes were wide too and she gasped, audibly and covered her mouth with her hands. Almost. She had almost just revealed everything and all because of her anger and frustration.

"Damn it, tell me," he growled, the anger obviously getting to him too. "Is it because of Lady Torou?"

Shirayuki shook her head silently, cursing under her breath and then turned and walked briskly toward her lodgings.

She reached her room, unlocked the door and walked through quickly. She didn't bother to close the door shut because it was off kilter and always closed itself but when she didn't hear it shut, she turned and then groaned.

"We're not _done._ "

"I figured that, since you're holding my door open, Sir."

She walked to the bedroom, opened it to a slit to see Ryuu had already gone to bed. Just how long had they been walking? She knew they hadn't exactly been walking fast but perhaps they walked slower than usual and got caught up, arguing.

Shirayuki then shut the bedroom door softly and turned to face the angry man in her living room.

"I've had enough, tell me _now_."

Shirayuki sighed - she did that a lot when it concerned him - and walked to the window. Sometimes when she was alone at night, she'd stare out the window and watch the snow fall. It was a simple thing and would seem so boring to others but for her, it was a way to think and also look at something beautiful at the same time.

God, it was really pretty tonight. Her room was a level up from the ground and she could see the street lamps were lit dimly in the distance, allowing her to see the snow slowly fall to the ground but she couldn't escape her raging Captain behind her forever.

"I've had enough too."

"So that's why you left huh?"

"I've learned that you don't always get what we want in life, Sir and so here I am. I did everything you asked of me, I beat the odds, I saved the country, successfully completed so many missions with you and yet I come to Lyrias and..." she rambled, as tears came to her eyes.

The light from the lamps outside reflected off her tears as she continued. "...and I try to carry out my orders that King Izana set and you're not happy about it?"

"But that's not what this is about, is it? You never came here just because the King ordered you to. _I_ think you were going to turn him down but something changed your mind and I _know_ its because of what you saw-"

Suddenly Shirayuki turned as angry tears fell down her face. "Don't presume you know _anything_ , Sir, because you don't! I-I don't care about what I saw or any of that and I know that you came because the King ordered you to take Captain Lugis' place-"

And this time, _he_ interrupted because he was sick of Shirayuki assuming things, like she had just accused him of. "He didn't order me to Lyrias, I requested it. He was going to send Itoya."

Obi's words shocked Shirayuki into silence and then confusion was written all over her face and he couldn't help but smile, slightly.

"I thought I told you not to lie, Aki," he said, his half smile still in place as he moved closer.

"If I'm lying then you are too. You know I'm ready to lead those men," she said, changing the subject all together.

And then Obi was pissed off again, his jaw clenched and his eyes dangerous. "Don't push me, Lieutenant," he said quietly, his eyes boring into hers as he was closer than he had been before.

Why hadn't she noticed? He'd taken his cloak off too (when had that happened?) and so she could notice how tall he was and how he was just so damn intoxicating, especially when he was this close. He was looking down at her with that look he sometimes gave her when he thought she didn't notice.

"You know I could go over your head," she said softly, barely above a whisper, looking up at him as he towered down at her.

Silence enveloped the room and she walked backwards slowly until her back was firmly pressed against the sill of the window and Obi had maintained his close distance, cornering her.

"You wouldn't dare," he breathed and then his arms reached up, his hands touching the sides of her arms which had come up to push against his chest.

"D-don't _make_ me."

Her eyes were looking up at him and then his went to her hair. It was like before she left, in Wistal, because he reached up and touched a lock of her apple red hair.

"You know," he whispered, leaning in slightly to take it in - to take _her_ in. "You're so beautiful."

Shirayuki's eyes widened and then he was looking back at her, leaning in again. "Don't, Sir."

He stopped in his tracks, leaning back with a frown. "You don't want to do this."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I-Its just because we spent a lot of time together, you feel like you're close to me but you-you have a whole life ahead of you back in Wistal and you'll be happier there. Don't waste all that on a whim. I appreciate you coming here, to look out for me, Sir. I know you were worried for me because you were my teacher but-"

"God damn it, Aki, is that what you think? You think that I care about anything in Wistal?"

Shirayuki growled at him in annoyance and pushed him, forcefully away from her. She knew she could easily be court-martialed for that, but she was so annoyed.

Didn't he see that she was giving him an out? He didn't have to be _here_ out of pity because of some teacher-student loyalty. She was strong and skilled enough to carry out her duties.

Obi's eyes widened in shock at her actions but then he was also determined to make her understand something, so he rolled up his sleeves. If she wanted to fight, then he would show her who's boss. He was her teacher after all.

A few minutes later, they were laying on the ground, out of breath. She'd got a few good hits in but ultimately, her Captain had won - he always did. He was faster, more agile and much stronger than she was. And he knew it.

He had her pinned to the ground now. "Yield!" he snapped. "And accept that I'm not here for anything else, but myself." _For you_.

Her eyes were full of fury and it was something he loved seeing, usually, but he was too pissed off to take it in.

His hips were tightly pinning her own to the ground, her thighs either side them tightly trying to push his body off her and his hands tightly held her wrists above her head with ease on the ground.

"I refuse, Sir!" she snapped back.

They silently stared at each other and eventually they both noticed their position and in fact, Shirayuki could feel something right where her own entrance was, beneath the fabric, and finally she relaxed her body so he would understand to get off of her.

"I-I yield," she squeaked as her cheeks began to heat up with embarrassment.

He noticed too and his mind began to wonder at how easily he could just pull down her tights and suddenly he was in the right position to-

He was up off of her in a flash. He'd backed away, hiding his quickly forming erection, his back leaning against the back of the couch next to Shirayuki who had assumed the same position. Their legs laid in front of them casually.

"I did come here because I was worried about you, but not because you're my subordinate," said Obi finally.

He lifted one of his legs up and rested his forearm over the top of his knee and then looked down at Shirayuki next to him.

"As a friend then?" asked Shirayuki, curiously, her eyes searching his face for something.

Finally he nodded, although, it wasn't entirely the truth. But he'd leave it at that for now.

* * *

The order came from on high and despite Obi's efforts to keep Shirayuki from the front lines, she was to go with her men to assist Captain Lugis.

"Yuki!" exclaimed Yuzuri as she ran out from the Herbalist wing.

As she turned, dressed in armor that had been specially made for her (her chest plate shaped for a woman), sword hanging at her side, katanas crossed on her back, she gasped at the sudden arms around her.

Yuzuri pulled away, tears in her turquoise orbs and looked Shirayuki over. "Well, you _do_ look like a soldier today," laughed the girl but there was no real humor behind it.

Shirayuki smirked, reaching up to her pony tail to tighten it. She wore black gloves too, for battle, her normal soldier uniform underneath the chest plate, black leggings and boots - but no helmet.

She had a badge, which was embroidered into one of her sleeves, showing she was a Lieutenant and Yuzuri's hand brushed over it.

"Will you...will you look after Suzu?" asked Yuzuri softly, her eyes meeting Shirayuki's with worry.

She nodded. "As best I can. He's a skilled warrior, he'll be fine."

And then Ryuu was there, looking up at her with annoyance.

"If you die, you kill off our family, you know that right?" he said coldly, his lips pursed tightly but his eyes told another story.

He was worried and fearful; two emotions he never really showed.

Shirayuki nodded. "But we have you now-"

"Idiot," he snapped and then pulled her sleeve so her face was near his. He leaned into her ear so that Yuzuri wouldn't hear. "This boy is not part of your bloodline. _You_ are it."

Shirayuki frowned. "I know. I promise, I'll do what I can to prevent the ending of our bloodline," she said with a small smile as she leaned in and hugged him tightly.

He sighed against her but eventually, his arms reached up and linked around her waist for a minute before they both pulled away.

"I can't go with you this time," he said quietly, his violet orbs penetrating hers pointedly.

The red head nodded.

"You should be wearing a helmet," he growled, eyes narrowed now. His scolding never ended and yet, she was accustomed to it now and welcomed it because it felt like home to her.

"He's right," said a voice and then they heard crunching in the snow.

Captain Obi walked with purpose toward her, with a furry coat in his hands. He shoved it at her which she grabbed on instinct.

"You should be wearing this, too," he said in a commanding voice. He knew that she had just finished training with the soldiers before they were to head out and so she didn't feel the cold right now but she would later on.

If she didn't cover up now it would probably be the catalyst for her to let hypothermia set in. He'd seen it happen once before with her when they'd been out on a week long mission - it had been the first time they'd been physically close because they'd slept the whole night with her in his arms, trying to raise her temperature.

She had tried to protest but she was losing consciousness and so in the end he did it anyway, despite the fact that it was what he'd wanted to do for a long time anyway, just not in such an emergency. But that was another story.

Shirayuki had the cloak on now and nodded her thanks with a smile up at her Captain.

Suddenly it as just them, standing in the snow. Obi was staring down at his Lieutenant and Shirayuki was staring up at her Captain.

"I got my way in the end, Sir," she said quietly but with a smile on her face.

He just glared at her. "I hope you didn't go over my head and-"

"I didn't, I promise."

Obi continued to glare because the only damn reason he kept trying to stop her from going to war was because he was worried she would die out there or worse that she would come back broken inside.

He knew she was capable and skilled enough to carry out her orders but how could he even begin to say that to her?

"Then promise that you'll come back. I'm not allowed to go to the front lines yet," he said with distaste as he held up a curled up piece of parchment in his index and middle finger.

She recognised the cursive as Zen's and raised an eyebrow.

"The Prince sent you a separate order?"

He nodded curtly and looked away from her for a moment, pissed off that he was held back by something so formal.

"Promise you'll come back to me," he whispered, causing Shirayuki's lips to form a small 'o' shape in shock.

Did he...did he care for her more than she thought?

"I-I can't do that, Sir, you know that-"

"I don't give a shit. I'm not there so I can't protect you-"

"I don't need you to protect me. I'm doing this for Clarines, like all of us, we are all doing it for Clarines. But before I go, in case something happens, I'll tell you why I took this post, Sir."

Obi looked at her and nodded.

"I left because I'd fallen in love," she explained quietly, barely above a whisper and then her eyes found his shocked ones.

"W-how...I mean, with who?" he spluttered, his words all jumbled but he had to know.

Shirayuki gave a salute, turned and began to walk in the direction of her awaiting men. "It's you, Sir."

His heart stopped, well, he thought it had. Did he hear her right? He lifted his hand up into his unruly black hair, rubbing the back of his head but by the time he put it all together in his head - every single thing she'd said to him over the years (it all made sense) - she was out of his view.

She was gone now. He'd run to catch up to her, realising how much of an idiot he'd been, but she was on a horse, leading the men out of town and headed toward the border.

* * *

"HOLD THE LINE!" she screamed.

The snow was red and snow was meant to be white, but she couldn't think of that now; she had orders and she would carry them out.

Captain Lugis needed the time and she'd give it to him. She wouldn't lose ground, she refused.

Her soldiers were holding up well enough, although, some had fallen. They came two hundred men strong and would probably leave with half that, if they were lucky.

She'd killed so many rebels now and although it bothered her (a whole lot more than she realised), she didn't revel in that fact too long because it would only make her question her resolve.

Shirayuki ducked under a slow swinging sword, rolled and lodged her long sword into the side of the man's ribs. He yelled in agony and then he quivered on the ground as he bled out.

Lugis said he had reinforcements and that he would need a day to get them. He didn't explain from where or how he would be doing this, only that he would be gone a day and that she needed to hold the line at the fort near the border. If they lost the fort, all would be lost.

The King had no desire to push forward to take more land than required, even though he could if he really put his mind to it. All he wanted was to protect Lyrias and the lands in between and to do that, they _had_ to hold the line here.

It was all on her now. She'd shed many angry, sad and overwhelmed tears since their battle had begun and that was fifteen hours ago, she would shed more but although her emotions always got the better of her, it didn't falter her will to push on.

"Lieutenant!" screamed Suzu's voice as she saw a spear heading toward her.

She quickly flung herself to the side to avoid it and landed on her feet but behind her had been one of her soldiers. Her eyes went wide, like saucers and the tears freely fell but she couldn't even sob because the shock of her actions haunted her. Zoltan was _dead_ because of her...because she dodged to save her own life.

He'd been a stupid kid, he was only seventeen, and he was a slow learner but he had been happy to be there and willing to learn. Damn him.

Shirayuki didn't even notice Suzu by her side, his face looking down at her as he shook her shoulders.

"That stupid kid," she said in a low voice. "Why...why was he there, damn it?"

"You _had_ to, Ma'am," he said and she nodded absently but didn't really hear what he'd said.

An explosion erupted through the snow and it jolted her back into action.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 _He_ should have been here by now and her men were dying. Vaguely she heard horns in the air but her eyes were on Suzu because she promised to keep him safe.

They'd surrounded him now. She looked around her to try and gather some of her men to help but they were all in their own fights.

The line had been held successfully so far, just, but even if she succeeded she couldn't bear to face Yuzuri again if something happened to the tall blonde 'hunk' that Yuzuri was so in love with.

Her feet were already moving, despite the fact her brain told her that this was suicide. She lunged at Suzu, pushing him out of the way before the sword could plunge through his chest and then she was on the ground, covered in red.

Shirayuki had always associated the color red with her hair and now she was surrounded by the color she had been cursed with. Was it cruel fate?

She heard her name being screamed out and the last thought she had was how she was going to really reprimand Suzu for using her name like that, especially around the enemy soldiers...but he was alive and that gave her some hope.

"Get her to Lyrias! Fast!" yelled Captain Lugis as he stood on the crest of the hill, a few meters away from Suzu.

Lugis motioned his hand toward where Shirayuki lay in the red covered snow and some men ran past him with a make shift stretcher.

Suzu had managed to take out a couple of the men who had surrounded him and then some of the men from behind Captain Lugis had shot the rest with arrows with chest shots.

He thanked a greater power for small mercies, wiping the sweat from his forehead, despite the coldness of the weather but he supposed that his body's inner heat counteracted the outside temperature. His eyes fell below him and focused on his Lieutenant.

He was on his knees, holding pressure to Shirayuki's wound but the blood kept coming; there was so much of it. And then the men pushed him out of the way as they pulled Shirayuki onto the stretcher.

Suzu looked to Captain Lugis who was surveying the area. He was directing a whole cohort of men now but Suzu was surprised because they weren't wearing soldier uniforms - they were _mercenaries_ , by the looks of them.

He should be up there with them but he couldn't take his eyes of his Lieutenant and how lifeless she looked. As they rushed her away, victory was assured as the mercenaries under Captain Lugis' command, as well as the remaining soldier's that Shirayuki had trained, over burdened the infiltrating rebels and soldiers from Glangolt.

They pushed them back but Suzu couldn't help thinking that they couldn't have achieved this victory without the Lieutenant and now she was...

He couldn't even finish the thought.

* * *

Obi sat at his desk, finally, after performing routine checks of the soldiers who manned the check points and guard duties. With the threat of Glangolt possibly overpowering the soldiers on the border, he had to use due diligence to make sure they could at least attempt to hold down the fort here if that scenario played out.

When he had volunteered to come to Lyrias to take over Captain Lugis' position, he knew it was somewhat of a desk job. He hated it. He hated the fact that Shirayuki had been ordered to go on the front lines and that he was stuck here doing, well, practically nothing.

And then Zen had _ordered_ him to stay put because he knew how protective of Shirayuki he was. His words had been that Obi was their second line of defense, in case Shirayuki and Captain Lugis failed.

But he couldn't think of that now because if she failed, that could mean...

Obi leaned back in the desk chair and stretched his long arms above his head with a large, dreadful sigh. God it was boring. Suddenly hurried footsteps were heard coming up the hall way and then a loud rap on his door jolted him to his feet quickly.

He opened it to see Suzu Hano, out of breath and covered in dried blood. The blonde was ragged with bags under his eyes but what really bothered him was that they were full of uncertainty and sadness.

Obi's eyes frowned at the state of him. "Private-"

"No time! Its Shirayuki, sorry, I mean the Lieutenant, Sir."

He didn't need to say anymore before Obi left what he was doing, his heart beating fast with dread, as he raced down the halls with Suzu beside him.

* * *

 _"So this is where you live, Aki," said Obi, leaning forward and swinging his leg over the top of the horse, landing on the ground._

 _Shirayuki frowned in confusion. "Sir! What are you doing here?" she asked as she raced down the path to reach him._

 _Obi was looking over the land, a small intrigued smile on his face._

 _"Well don't just stand there, show me around!" he grinned down at her and her face lit up._

 _OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

 _"Y-you have to get the message to the tower, in Raxd," said the quiet voice of his subordinate. "I'll be fine."_

 _She was shivering in the darkness of the cave which they had come across to avoid the agents from Glangolt. The moonlight shone in through a natural hole in the roof of the cave and caught Shirayuki's bleak face._

 _She was so pale and locks of her red hair clung to her rain splashed face. When he looked at her like this, she looked so small and fragile. Just what was he doing? If he was truly a good Captain, he would retire her for good. These missions were dangerous and he'd never forgive himself if she got herself killed._

 _"Don't be an idiot, you'll die," he snapped as he moved closer to her. "Look, you need body heat, so we're gonna have to share body heat tonight."_

 ** _Oh, what a shame that will be_** _, his traitorous thoughts coming through, despite how hard he always held them at bay._

 _He took off his uniform jacket and quickly took off her dripping jacket too. He quickly slipped himself beside her under the blanket and wrapped his body around hers, his arms snaking around her back. He looked at her and found that she was trying to protest but couldn't find the energy to do so._

 _"The ladies at Wistal w-will be jealous of me," were her last words before she fell unconscious._

 _Obi had laughed, his golden eyes watching as her eyes closed. He held her closer and could feel every inch of her body and even though this position was to save her life, he realised he'd wanted to be like this with her for the longest time._

 _He let his face rest in the crook of her neck for a moment, taking her scent in and his lips touched the skin at the nape of her neck. He pulled his head up to stare at her sleeping form and placed a small chaste kiss on top of her head, before resting her head onto his chest._

 _"None of those ladies compare," he said to no one at all, his voice echoing around the cave walls. "Not to you."_

 _OOOOOOOOOOOOO_

 _He dodged her attack easily and any other day he would tell her how sloppy her moves were...but not **today**. _

_She fought emotionally and to be honest, he wasn't sure why he accepted her sparring match. He'd always detached himself from emotions but ever since she'd come into his life, he seemed to always be doing things he'd never done before._

 _But this situation, what was he supposed to say?_

 _"That's enough," he said finally, grabbing her small fist which had no effort behind it whatsoever._

 _Shirayuki glared up at him and it was then that he saw tears in her eyes._

 _They stood in the training area and found that most of the soldiers had emptied out. Usually they all enjoyed watching the sparring matches between the two of them but today...it just wasn't interesting enough for them._

 _"Your brother told me what today is-"_

 _"Please Sir...lets not talk about it."_

 _"You didn't go, did you?"_

 _Shirayuki jerked her hand out of his grasp, walked over to where her uniform jacket sat on the ground and bent over to pick it up. He watched her walk off, silently, without even a glance back._

 _"If a woman is born its her duty to find a husband so that when someone dies, the husband takes over the land and can continue to be passed down to our families children."_

 _Obi turned to find Ryuu walking up to him. His cool violet orbs looked up at him and could see slight distaste in them._

 _"So who will the Aki land go to now?"_

 _Ryuu didn't answer at first as he stopped next to Obi, his eyes now on Shirayuki's retreating form._

 _"No one...probably the Crown. That's why she didn't go to our grandparent's funeral today because she felt ashamed since she hadn't married and now the land would be lost to our family. The day she enlisted in the Royal Army was the day she was meant to meet her husband and bring honor to the Aki family."_

 _Obi's jaw tightened. No wonder Shirayuki was a wreck today._

 _"The ancestors watch over all living members of the Aki family and try to prevent dishonor, or so our grandparents used to tell us. They've been nothing but useless so far, though."_

 _Ryuu turned away, his eyes hard with regret and shame. "That day, she fought with grandfather. She said she wanted to fall in love and marry who ever that might be. But now that's not possible."_

 _OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

 _She was running with joy and excitement dancing around her forest green orbs._

 _"I'm getting promoted, Sir!" she exclaimed happily as she ran toward him, her red hair dancing behind her._

 _She wore her training wear, which consisted of the under garments of her soldier uniform. He was in the training room and had just finished sparring with the Prince._

 _Obi turned, his face sweaty from the skirmish with the Prince. He grabbed a towel from the ground and dabbed it to his forehead._

 _"Oh really?" but didn't sound convincing as knowing smile crept onto his face._

 _Shirayuki narrowed her eyes. "Did you recommend it, Sir?"_

 _He turned away and shrugged. "No?"_

 _Her shoulder's bristled in annoyance. " **Sir** , I was meant to get it on my own merits!" _

_Obi sighed. "It is, you wouldn't receive a promotion on recommendations alone, ya know."_

 _She still didn't look impressed and it reminded him of a nagging wife and so he laughed, right in her face._

 _Her cheeks began to get hot with anger._

 _"Look, maybe I did recommend you but the truth is, you're one of the best soldier's I've trained. You came from no training at all to being the woman who saved the Kingdom of Clarines - and even did so knowing that you may be executed for impersonating a man. But not only that, you're strong, resourceful and you're the best person I know. You deserve this, trust me."_

 _He laughed again at how her cheeks were redder than before, and not from anger._

Obi didn't know if she was going to wake up and damn it all, his mind had been re-telling all the little moments they'd had since he'd met her and it was killing him.

He couldn't allow her to die, but it wasn't really up to him, was it?

And for the first time in years, as he held his head in his hands as he sat in a chair beside her bed in the pharmacy, tears came down his face. Real tears.

He didn't even cry when Haruka had been killed by Touka - and he was a _father_ to him. Maybe it had been because Shirayuki had been there and although he'd thought she was a boy then, it was just her presence. She'd _always_ been like a rock to him and it was only now that he realised just how much he needed her...wanted her... _loved_ her.

But then, was it just now or had he always known?

Damn her for everything, for being in his life, for giving him false hopes that she'd always be there.

And it was so stupid because it should have been _him_ on the front lines, not _her_. Why did she have to be so damned heroic?

All of a sudden, he was mad...so shockingly mad at _her_ for doing this.

"You don't have permission to die," he said with a shaky breath.

He didn't know how long it was, when finally, she woke. Her beautiful green orbs blinked, taking in her surroundings when finally they landed on him.

"Sir," she said with a smile. "Did we win?"


	3. Chapter 3

**We All Fall Sometimes**

 **Part III**

 **A/N:** _And here is the last part! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

It seemed that luck was on her side. The wound she had received had broken a rib but had narrowly missed her heart by a mere inch. Her other organs were in tact but she was quite annoyed at how the sword had lodged itself _between_ the breast plate and the back plate. She was both unlucky and lucky at the same time.

An hour had passed since she had awoken. Suzu, Yuzuri and Ryuu were sitting by her bed side, talking about random things. They were trying to keep things light but the fact was, they had been so scared.

Even Ryuu seemed to be in higher spirits than usual. Every now and then his violet orbs looked over at the window, wondering where the Captain was.

He'd been planted at Shirayuki's bedside for days when she'd been unconscious but when she woke, he'd called in the doctor but then disappeared.

"We should let my sister rest," said Ryuu, squeezing Shirayuki's hand with a mindset to find the Captain.

The two nodded and gave Shirayuki one last hug before heading for the door.

"I'm glad you're okay, Yuki," said Ryuu with one of his rare smiles.

Shirayuki nodded with a smile of her own. "Thanks Ryuu."

Even though he hated being called by that name, he supposed he was accustomed to it now. Even Obi called him Little Ryuu (another name he hated) so he let her introduce him now as Ryuu.

Suzu and Yuzuri had left, so before Ryuu left, he wanted to say one more thing.

"Do you know why I stayed?"

The red head frowned. "No. I've always wondered but just thought you didn't want to talk about it. I know...I know its my fault-"

"Don't be stupid. Shiroku, your first ancestor, he came to me the day you saved the Kingdom of Clarines. He said it was time to go back but he said I had a choice. To live a mortal life with you or go back to them, watching over the Aki family."

Shirayuki gasped in shock. "B-but I thought it was because I took too long to bring honor to the family and that's why you were stuck here."

He shook his head. "I wanted to stay. Out of all the descendants, you intrigued me the most. I-I wanted to stay with you because you make me happy and I didn't want to see you sad either when your grandparents would die, so I stayed," stuttered Ryuu, obviously embarrassed to let out so much emotion at once, since it was an odd occurrence for him to even speak this much. "So, I'm glad you're okay."

With that, Ryuu walked out of the room before Shirayuki could even tell him how much he meant to her. But he knew.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ryuu was determined. At first when her second trial had begun - that's what he called it - and she overcame it by going to Lyrias, he believed it was over. But it seemed the Captain had other plans.

Why couldn't he just leave his sister alone?

She did the right thing by leaving Wistal Castle, her heart would move on, but now that he was here it put everything he'd worked to help her through mean nothing.

The door slammed open, causing Obi to straighten in his chair, clearly shocked by Ryuu's entrance.

He had a pen in his hand and was obviously in the middle of doing paperwork. Ryuu didn't know what it was and he didn't care.

"You!" began Ryuu, slamming the door shut behind him.

His violet orbs were ablaze with anger and he walked up to the desk, slamming his palms on the top.

"Me?" asked Obi, confused with Ryuu's anger and still a little shaken from his brazen entry.

"Yes, you! Why the hell did you come here?" the boy snapped, eyes narrowed.

The captain put down his pen and leaned back in his desk chair.

"It was an order-"

"You know damn well-"

"-for Itoya to come here and take over Lugis' position. But I asked for it instead."

Ryuu clamped his mouth shut. "I knew it."

Obi regarded Ryuu for a moment. The young boy was wise beyond his years - a genius one might say. He was wise as if he had already lived a lifetime and it had always puzzled the Captain. He was always with Shirayuki, giving her advice as if he were the _older_ sibling. Ryuu was also very protective of her and Obi could only admire that.

"You should have stayed away."

The captain frowned and then anger began to edge its way to the surface.

"Should I have? And why is that?"

"She left to get away from you and then you followed her! I knew you were going to mean trouble for her the moment I saw you at that damned training camp," grumbled Ryuu turning away and then he started pacing the room talking to himself.

Obi watched on curiously.

"You were there-"

"No I just...I mean at Wistal Castle," said Ryuu, trying to cover his tracks. "As soon as her sentence was handed down by the King, I should have seen how it would turn out."

 _She looked him over and noticed his dislocated shoulder. Her eyes widened as she began to feel where the joint needed to go._

 _"I-its okay," he snapped but more from the pain, his eyes clenched closed from the pain._

 _"Trust me. Look at me, Sir," she said, her gaze certain because she knew how to fix a dislocated shoulder._

 _But not her feelings._

 _Obi held back his cry of pain as she had grabbed his shoulder and twisted it. It was back in place again._

 _They sat on the ground a bit longer, next to the building they had just landed against as her Captain had grabbed her from mid-air._

 _"Maybe you should get out of here-"_

 _"Its too late for that, Sir. I'll accept the punishment," smiled Shirayuki, looking ahead of them where some soldiers were running their way, with King Izana in front of them._

 _"Don't be a hero, Aki, it will be the death penalty!" he exclaimed angrily, in disbelief of what she was even contemplating._

 _"It doesn't matter anymore because I achieved what I came to achieve, Sir. My grandfather will live a while longer because of this and that's all I ever wanted," she said as she got to her feet._

 _Shirayuki patted down her dress and turned to face the approaching King._

 _Obi stared after her as she was taken into custody and a few meters away sat the splattered, dead body of Touka Bergatt._

 _OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

 _"You stand here accused of impersonating a man."_

 _Shirayuki was on one knee, bowing her head in respect. She nodded._

 _"You do realise that the penalty for this is death?" spoke the cold words of King Izana._

 _In the room stood General Mitsuhide, beside Captain Obi to the right of the red carpet in the throne room. Next to the King ahead of her in the royal chairs sat Prince Zen._

 _He was clearly not happy with this development, since Shirayuki had saved them all. Quite literally._

 _A young boy stood among some other townsfolk to the side of the room, since this was technically a trial._

 _"Y-You can't!" the boy exclaimed, tears in his eyes._

 _His pleas were ignored and a soldier told him to be quiet._

 _Obi clenched his fists, about to speak up but the General put his arm across Obi's chest and shook his head._

 _"King brother, she saved us," began Zen, eying the boy in the crowd, but Izana held up a palm to silence him._

 _His cool blue eyes focused on the girl bowing before him._

 _"In normal circumstances, I would sentence you to death. However, as you saved this kingdom, I will grant you this one mercy. You will carry out your sentence as a soldier in my army and with your skill set, I will place you under the guidance of General Mitsuhide."_

 _"Your majesty, if I may," said Obi's voice as he stepped out and stood behind Shirayuki._

 _Izana nodded for him to proceed._

 _"I trained her and I know her skills best. She would be better suited under **my** command."_

 _The King frowned and looked to Mitsuhide who nodded in confirmation._

 _"You think her good enough to carry out missions with you?"_

 _Obi nodded. "She's rough around the edges now but she'll learn."_

 _King Izana pursed his lips, thinking over the best solution._

 _"Very well. Shirayuki Aki, you are hereby sentenced to five years loyal service in the Clarines Royal Army, to be under the command of Captain Obi. You are an official soldier, therefore, you are also eligible to move up in the ranks - when the time comes, of course, and if you are worthy. You may rise. This court is adjourned."_

 _After most of the people had filed out of the room, including the King, Shirayuki was met with the embrace of Ryuu._

 _She looked down and ruffled his hair with a gleeful smile. She was alive, her grandfather was alive..._

 _"You have to be the luckiest in our family, Shirayuki," sighed Ryuu, pulling away and looked up at her._

 _She laughed and then her eyes caught her Captain's, who stood behind them._

 _"Captain...thank you."_

 _Obi nodded and then looked to Ryuu._

 _"Oh, Sir, this is...ah my-"_

 _" **Brother** ," said Ryuu, back to his snippy self. He looked up at Obi, judging him harshly. _

_And then Obi nodded, introducing himself and then he watched Obi and Shirayuki talking. Obi speaking abashedly to her, like he'd just met her because it was now that he knew she was a woman and not a timid, weak boy going to war._

 _But Ryuu saw it. He saw how Shirayuki's cheeks were pinker than usual and saw how Obi's eyes lingered too long over her hair and then her chest and did he actually think people couldn't see that?!_

 _OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

 _A few months had passed and Ryuu was putting together dinner in the kitchen to give Shirayuki's grandparents a rest._

 _After Shirayuki had come back with Ryuu in tow, her grand parents accepted him and adopted him as their son. She had told them he was an orphan they had discovered on their travels and that he had no home. They immediately welcomed him with open arms. Ever since then, he had felt at home and in fact, he had lived here years and years ago anyway and although the house had changed a little since then, he still knew his way around._

 _He heard a male voice and stopped what he was doing. His eyes went out the window to see a tall, black haired man walking up the path._

 _The Aki property was vast and to get up to the front path, one had to climb many flights of stairs, so when he saw the man casually walk closer and closer to the front door, he could tell it was Captain Obi because he wasn't even out of breath. Along side him was his 'sister'._

 _They had just gotten back from a mission yesterday and already the Captain was bothering her?_

 _"Its strange to see you in that," he heard him say jovially._

 _He heard her scoff. "I am a **woman** after all, Sir."_

 _Then Ryuu saw his eyes. Shirayuki walked ahead of Obi - and his eyes followed her backside in front of him as they walked closer to the door. There was no mistake, her Captain was not just her Captain. That was why **he** wanted to be her commander because he liked her more than he was letting on. _

_And Ryuu already knew that she loved **him**. This did not bode well.  
_

"Well I didn't!" snapped Obi, bringing Ryuu out of his reverie down memory lane.

Ryuu snapped his head toward Obi with anger. "Oh, I think you did, actually. In fact, I think you care for her much more than you let her see...much more than a superior should feel for a subordinate."

Obi clamped his mouth shut. Why that little...

"Which is why I'm blaming you for this whole mess."

The captain was at his wits end now. Just who did this boy think he was?

"I couldn't stop her going to war, no matter how hard I tried-"

"I'm not talking about that, idiot! The more she spent time with you, the deeper she fell," said Ryuu, more softly at the end. "Love does that, I guess, because in the end, we all fall sometimes."

Ryuu's words hit home for Obi because he knew what he meant. Obi knew that _he_ had too.

"But you...I knew you would break her heart...she would have healed you know. If you had stayed away."

Obi clenched his fists, his eyes on Ryuu now. "I don't know what you're even talking about, kid! You know, all Shirayuki does is run. She's good at running away just when things get real. She ran when I got too close, she ran when she _thought_ she saw me chatting up a friend, she ran all the way to this cold wasteland of a town, just to get away from me and she ran after she told me the reason why she left. And now she's in the hospital! She's an idiot..."

Ryuu looked at Obi, surprised that he had revealed all of that.

"She wants you to be happy. She wants you to live a good life, married with children to a woman with more status than her own and who deserves you," said Ryuu with a frown, just reiterating her own words she had told him. "That's why she runs."

Ryuu opened the door and left Obi to his thoughts.

He wanted to seek her out, to confront her about this whole situation but he was still so angry about her almost dying that he was afraid he would just reveal everything.

It was why he hadn't been to see her yet. But would that be so bad?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yuzuri cleared her for duty and finally she could go back to her apartment. She was on light duties of course but it was better than being cooped up in bed.

She was sort of bothered at the fact that her Captain hadn't once come to visit but she assumed it was because he was busy and perhaps, well, he probably didn't care as much as she thought.

But she knew that, didn't she?

Shirayuki let her door shut behind her as she made her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As she got closer to the bench, she noticed a letter sitting there with the royal seal.

It was from King Izana.

After reading it thoroughly she smiled as she leaned her back against the counter, deciding to read it over again to make sure she read it correctly.

She was getting a bonus after her hard work in Lyrias and apparently the land title for the Aki estate was now in Ryuu's name and so they had the land back - as a reward.

"Good news, then?"

His voice cut through the silence and she turned to see Obi crouching in her window sill again.

"You know, there is a door, Sir," she said, her eyes narrowed.

Obi laughed and jumped through, landing on his feet inside her lounge room.

"I know, I know."

"I'm getting a bonus," beamed Shirayuki, her green orbs lit up as she looked over at her Captain.

Obi nodded, noticing how she was still in bandages around her torso and chest.

"Your post has ended Sir, you'll have to go back to Wistal-"

"I don't think that's up to you, is it?" he snapped as he walked toward her.

He stopped and peered down at her from across the other side of the kitchen counter.

"You think you know so many things about me but you're wrong," he said evenly, his golden orbs piercing into her soul.

Shirayuki gasped in shock because why was he talking to her like she'd done something wrong?

"About what, Sir?"

She wrapped her arms around her front, underneath her chest, and leaned against the other counter by the wall; her eyes on him curiously.

"You told me something, before you went off on your suicide mission, remember?"

Shirayuki narrowed her eyes. "It wasn't a _suicide mission_ and it was an order, Sir!"

"Suzu told me what you did. How careless can you actually be?" snarled Obi, slamming his hands on the bench, gripping the edges of it tightly.

She was taken aback because she didn't think she'd ever seen Obi this angry before. Shirayuki sighed and began to walk out of the kitchen.

She didn't have to listen to this, not from him.

"I promised Yuzuri I would protect him-"

"Not in war...you can't protect anyone from that and if you do, it _is_ suicide, Aki," he exclaimed from behind her as she walked toward her bedroom.

She walked in, not expecting him to follow but apparently he did.

"I'm not done, Shirayuki," said his voice from her doorway.

She looked over at him, noticing how his form took up the whole doorway. He was very tall and lean and even when he was angry, he looked incredibly sexy.

Inwardly, she cringed because she couldn't think of things like that...at least not with him standing there in his black soldier's uniform.

"Sir, I can't tell you much else. I'm sorry okay? But its done and luckily, I _did_ survive. You won't have a tarnished name because a soldier that you trained yourself disobeyed protocol because no one will ever know."

She shrugged and walked to her dresser to pull out some new clothes.

He sighed, walking in and sitting himself on one of the single beds.

"Is that what you think I care about?"

"What else would you care about, Sir?" she didn't turn when she said this and kept searching a drawer for her shirt.

Obi shook his head in disbelief. "You're unbelievable."

The only sounds in the room were of her rummaging around in the drawer.

"You love me, so what?"

Shirayuki took a sharp breath and snapped her head around to face him with wide, shocked eyes.

"Love is a simple thing, it shouldn't make someone run halfway across the country, just to escape them," said Obi, frankly. His eyes stared into hers and to her it looked as though he didn't even care that she loved him and felt nothing in return.

Its not like Obi was a stranger to love confessions, she was sure of that. He was incredibly handsome, a skilled soldier and was a charmer too. Well, to everyone except her.

"Obi," she said quietly, her face downcast now.

"Aki-"

"Please...please leave."

His jaw tightened. "No."

She strode forward toward him and pointed to the door, her eyes ablaze with what he could only describe as a mixture of sadness, anger and hopelessness.

"Get out!" she exclaimed angrily.

"No."

She shrilled and grabbed one of his wrists to pull him up but he wouldn't budge. Instead he grabbed both her wrists tightly. She struggled and tears began to form.

"The moment I saw you at the training camp, I knew that you would cause nothing but problems for me," he said huskily after she had stopped struggling.

Obi sat on the bed, looking up at Shirayuki intently, his large hands still gripping her wrists so she couldn't escape. She stood there with her eyes averted as tears came down her cheeks, standing in between his long legs trying her hardest to not show him how broken she looked.

"Do you know what you do to me, Shirayuki?"

She refused to answer, he was just joking around like he always did! She hated it.

"Do you really think I would ask to be assigned to this cold place if I didn't love you?"

" _Don't_ ," she gasped when finally she turned to face him.

She looked down at him and he pulled her closer.

"You think I'd do that for Itoya or Kazuki...or even General Mitsuhide?" he asked, searching her face for answers.

Shirayuki remained silent and simply stared at him, refusing to even _think_ that what he meant was that he loved her. Because she didn't want to get burned...she wouldn't fall, she wouldn't!

"Don't say things like that, Sir. I think you _would_ come here for them; they're your subordinates too-"

Suddenly he pulled her lips to his and her eyes flew open wide.

Obi pulled away now, pushing her back a bit so she could see his face.

"Do you get it now?"

Shirayuki stepped backward, now that he'd let go of her wrists and a hand moved up to her lips where he'd kissed her. "Y-you just..."

"Yeah, I kissed you. I've wanted to do it for a long, long time but every time I come close to doing it, you run away," he said with a smirk as he got up from the bed and advanced on her.

Maybe he did love her, had she been wrong this entire time?

"But...but Lady Torou-"

"She is a friend. She knew of my feelings toward you and she wanted to test you but it back fired. She apologised to me about it too," explained Obi rubbing the back of his head, sheepishly.

Shirayuki sighed and shook her head in disbelief.

"But-but you always say how manly I am!" she said, looking at him and noticing how incredibly close he was now.

Obi laughed. "Really? That's what you're clinging to now? You know that's not true...you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said softly, his eyes full of a hunger she'd seen a couple of times now.

"But you would be much better off with someone of higher stature. I don't have anything to my name, no money or riches-"

"I don't care about those things. I've only ever wanted _you_."

And that was it, it was clear to her now. He was telling her the truth and all those times he had 'joked' around, flirted with her...almost kissed her, it was all the truth.

His hand moved up and glided through her long red locks and rested at the back of her head and then he leaned down and their lips met again. It started out soft and then she parted her lips slightly, allowing his tongue to softly begin to roam onto hers.

She moved her hands up his lean, clothed chest and one wrapped into his hair and the other around toward the back of his neck.

Shirayuki couldn't help but moan, her eyes closed, when hands suddenly cupped her bottom and lifted her up. She linked her legs around his waist as he turned them and laid her back onto the bed.

Their lips parted for a moment as he nestled his face in the crook of her neck and began to pepper kisses along her shoulder but then he pulled up and hovered over her, his strong arms holding himself up either side her body.

"I'd like to continue but you're still injured," he said softly with a smirk.

Shirayuki pouted. Wordlessly she pushed him off and reached up to her chest, unraveling the bandages.

Obi's eyes widened and when all the bandages were on the ground, he was staring down at Shirayuki's naked breasts in awe. His mouth seemed to dry up and he couldn't look away.

The wound on her side had stitches but was healing nicely, it only hurt when she leaned on it and so she reached out, dragging him toward her. She began to unbutton his soldier jacket and finally he came back to his senses.

"Shirayuki..."

She looked up at him with an innocent smile.

"But Captain, I'm just helping you undress. Nothing wrong with that?"

Obi didn't stop her but he also didn't want to hurt her and open up her wound again.

Shirayuki felt a heat in her nether regions that she hadn't felt for a while and while logic told her that she should be cautious and end it before she got hurt again, it was clear to her that he wanted this too.

When she'd removed his jacket and shirt, her hands swiftly went to his belt buckle and then her hands lightly brushed against something hard that was sticking up out of his boyleg underwear - now that his trousers were on the floor. His breath hitched and when she looked up, he was looking down at her with desire.

And that was it. She found herself unclothed. Her shorts and underwear on the ground.

She'd fantasized about this before and just thinking about it was making her wet. It was a feeling she had tried to suppress for so long and now she was letting go.

Obi's length was free now and he loomed over her body, her legs either side his hips and she watched as he grabbed his penis and moved the tip of it up and down across her clit and it elicited a tingling and euphoric sensation every time he did.

He watched her reaction as she moaned, her grip on his muscled, bare arms that held him above her, tightened. He watched her closely, noticing how her long red locks of hair fanned out around her, how her body reacted to him and it made him realise he'd wanted this for a long, long time. And everything he'd imagined had not prepared him for the real deal because Shirayuki was so perfect and beautiful, lying there, ready for him to take her.

The arousal just thinking of her had always been high, but now that he was actually here he dreaded that he was going to reach his climax way too soon.

"S-sir, please!"

Obi smirked playfully as the tip of his penis edged toward her vaginal opening. When he was inside her she gasped, half in pain and half in surprise.

He moaned in pleasure, it was almost too much, as he thrust inside her slowly. Her legs tightened around his hips and linked behind his back. He leaned down and kissed her, which silenced her loud moans.

Their rhythm went faster.

"Fuck," gasped Obi as he started to reach his climax.

"O-bi," Shirayuki moaned, her eyes clamped shut for a moment as she felt her own climax coming.

This was her first time and she'd never felt anything like this. She had pleasured herself, of course, most people did. But the real thing - sex itself - was something you could not replicate.

"Yuki..." Obi managed to get out as his thrusts were quicker and harder. His hips moved in and out quickly and made friction sounds as he began to reach his limit.

He brought his penis out and then slid it back in, deeply and it caused Shirayuki to practically scream and her hips began to move into his more, with each thrust.

Obi looked at her face, contorted with pleasure and it made him reach climax.

"Yuki, fuck..." he gasped as the feeling of euphoria washed over him, his eyes clamped shut as he rode the feeling out.

She moaned as her own climax came and then the thrusts got softer and softer until Obi was completely spent.

He leaned down and their lips met. Shirayuki placed her hands either side his cheeks and then he pulled out of her and rolled over beside her.

She turned to look at him, noticing how his chest moved up and down rapidly and sweat was visible. But as she turned her body to meet his, she winced.

Obi seemed to notice and then eyed her with concern. He put his palm on her stomach to move her back to a lying position and when she turned, there was a red blotchy stain on the sheets.

"Shit, you've opened your wound," he said, his auburn orbs narrowed down at her as he began to sit up. "I knew we should have waited."

Shirayuki laughed. "It was worth it," she said, looking up to him and then she winked.

Obi regarded her carefully and smiled playfully. "You're such a little minx."

* * *

"You are surrounded, young Miss."

The woman narrowed her eyes and then she noticed men with swords, beginning to advance on her. She looked back to the red haired girl and smirked.

"Maybe so. But I have you!" she exclaimed, lunging for her but she swiftly dodged the woman's arms.

She reached underneath her dress, pulling out a dagger that had been sitting on her thigh and pointed it at the woman.

"You're under arrest, in the name of King Izana of Clarines," she said, looking at the scum before her.

She was the daughter of an aristocrat from another country. She had been caught trafficking women to her own country as slaves and Shirayuki had gone undercover, being one of the girls that had been sold to her.

The woman eyed the girl and then her gaze went to someone behind her.

"The man that sold you to me-"

Shirayuki laughed. "That was my husband actually."

The woman gasped. " _Him_? Why would he go for someone like _you_? I was planning to have a really good time with him too..."

"Good luck with that, lady," said a voice who was now beside Shirayuki.

She turned to see Kazuki standing there, twirling a dagger in his hand. "This woman is a force to be reckoned with. And if you touch her man...well-ow!"

The blonde haired soldier pouted at Shirayuki who had just hit him on the head in annoyance.

"Do you mind?" snapped the red head, her green eyes meeting Kazuki's.

"Sorry, Aki. He wanted to be in the party to arrest the trafficker," said a deep voice from her other side.

She looked up to see Itoya with a dagger in his hand also, staring the assailant down.

"What this soldier was trying to say is that General Obi wouldn't go for the likes of you, even if he were single," explained Itoya. "Now, come quietly or you may get hurt."

The woman's eyes widened. " _General?!_ "

Shirayuki nodded.

"Captain Aki!" screamed someone from behind her.

She turned and saw Shiira running toward her. "We found the girls!"

She smiled and nodded. "Good work, Eigan. We're finished here too."

The woman was at this point, absolutely mortified. " _Captain?! You_?!"

Shirayuki nodded. "For crimes of trafficking women out of Clarines, the penalty is death. But you will have a trial which is where we will take you right now. King Izana is waiting for you."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"You've really out done yourself, Captain," smirked Izana, bringing the flute of champagne to his lips.

The room was lively with live classical music being played and many Lords and Ladies filled the room, as well as the soldiers who all participated in the arrest of the human trafficker.

"I must say, it was most fortunate that you broke the law all those years ago. For me, anyway," laughed Izana.

Shirayuki stared at him. "Your majesty, have you had just a _little_ bit too much to drink there?"

The King pouted. "No, this is my first drink thank you very much!"

"Mistress Haki will be disappointed," said Shirayuki with a laugh. "But thank you."

"Jokes aside, Captain, you did me a favor. Many of the Lords were putting pressure on me to end this quickly and this is the very best outcome. So I'm glad I didn't listen to General Obi's complaints about sending you undercover," said Izana, jovially.

His eyes rested on her and then he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Keep up the good work, although, I suppose you'll be taking leave soon."

His eyes lowered to her stomach and she blushed and nodded. "How did you know?"

The King put an index finger to his nose. "I cannot give up my sources, however, I can say that the bird I heard it from is someone I would not want to cross."

 _Kiki then..._ she thought. She would never have thought that a secret like that would leak from that woman's mouth though.

Shirayuki sighed but the bump was becoming more and more visible so people were going to start talking.

"You know, its barely two weeks after your wedding and you're already preggers?" laughed Kazuki from behind her. "Someone's been naughty-ow!"

She'd swiftly slapped the young man upside the head. "You little shit," whispered Shirayuki, glaring at him.

"Hey! We're not on the training grounds anymore, ya know!" he said aghast, rubbing his head.

Shirayuki grabbed her skirts to walk off - she hated those gowns she always had to wear at these stuffy events - but before she walked off she turned and smiled back at him.

"Those were the best times, though. And thanks for today, Zuki," she said with a warm smile, her green eyes bright and genuine.

Kazuki nodded with a small and casual salute. "No worries, boss lady!"

She walked out toward the balcony and breathed in the fresh air. Another mission completed but there was no way she was going on leave just yet. How could she?

Her five years of servitude were long since over and yet, she stayed, doing what she did best...because she _could_.

She thought about back when she had first met Obi when she was Shira Aki - the boy. She remembered how she'd saved countless lives because she poisoned the whole of Bergatt's army by creating an apparatus that put the poison into the air. It spread across the mountain that night, killing them almost instantly.

It hadn't killed Touka but it did enough damage.

She had remembered thinking at the time that if she didn't do something, they were all going to die. Just like General Haruka.

Luckily, she had antidotes for those exposed for her comrades but that night was her biggest accomplishment and also, her biggest scar.

Killing people had never been in her make up and she never wanted to do it - it just happened. It haunted her sometimes.

"Shirayuki...what happened?" said a familiar voice from beside her.

She turned to see her husband, staring at her worriedly and then she realised she'd been crying. She hadn't even noticed him standing there.

"Oh! Obi, sorry I was just caught up in my thoughts," she laughed, tucking a stray red strand of hair behind her ear.

He reached down and hugged her tightly, his tall form engulfing her own.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting at Wilant?" she asked, pulling away to look up at him.

His golden orbs looked down at her worriedly. "I-I heard that you were...well, how do I put this. I heard you were pregnant."

Shirayuki nodded in confirmation. His eyes widened in shock but then he slowly began to smile.

"No more undercover missions then," he said sternly, as his arms encircled around her lower back as he looked down at her.

"Hmm...maybe."

Obi sighed. "Why were you crying then? Is the thought of a small me that intolerable?" he jested but half wondering if that were true.

Shirayuki shook her head. "Don't be stupid, Sir. You know I think that would be adorable!"

"Still haven't dropped the 'sir' thing, huh?"

"Nope. I was just thinking about all those people I killed, years ago, on the mountain," she said quietly, resting her cheek against his chest.

Obi put a hand to the back of her head and he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"You _had_ to-"

"I did but then I wondered...when did I choose to take life instead of healing them? And I realised, it was because we were going to die if I didn't do something. And I remembered imagining you lifeless in the snow and I couldn't bear it. You'd just lost General Haruka and that's when I made the decision to kill them."

Obi was taking in what she was saying and he noticed how she seemed to have cared for him, even back then. He was so very lucky to have her.

And to think that at one point, he didn't think she loved him like he loved her.

What fools they were.

"You...you really are amazing, Shirayuki. You know, when you ran across that field through the arrows to help us, I was so scared. I ran to go and get you but Kazuki and Itoya held me back. I didn't want you to die...you were so delicate and beautiful, even when I thought you were a boy," laughed Obi, causing Shirayuki to pull away and look up at him.

She smiled and then started to laugh too.

"Maybe you have a thing for young boys!"

"No...just red hair and forest green eyes."

His words shocked Shirayuki and then his lips were on hers and her eyes closed.

"I missed you," whispered Obi, as he pulled away slightly to look down at her.

Their faces were an inch apart and she reached up and placed her hands either side his face. "Me too."

"I can't believe you're pregnant."

"Me too."

"Aren't you glad I was your commanding officer, now?"

She audibly groaned, but he pulled her in for another kiss, effectively stopping any retort she may have had.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Ryuu!" moaned Shirayuki.

The teen sighed, closed his book and stomped into the living room.

"What? This is the fifth time!" he said as he found Shirayuki, heavily pregnant, lying on the ground.

Tears were coming down her face. "I can't get back up again, this thing is too heavy!"

Ryuu groaned. "And where's the General, anyway?"

The red head pouted. He walked over to her, grabbed her reaching hands and hoisted her up off the ground. When she was steady, she pulled him in for a hug.

"Thanks... _Namako_. You'll always be my brother, though," smiled Shirayuki, looking up into Ryuu's violet orbs.

He stood a good head taller than her now.

Ryuu's eyes widened at the familiar name and he smiled. "All the years of calling me Ryuu and its only _now_ that you call me by my actual name."

"I guess because all those years ago, it was you who guided me and I never truly thanked you for it and I didn't want to acknowledge that you were my ancestor, not my brother. So thank you Nama-"

"Stop it with that name. It doesn't suit me anymore," said Ryuu in annoyance as he turned to walk back to the kitchen. "But, it was the best decision I ever made."

Shirayuki beamed and wiped away her emotional tears.

"I'M HOME! WHAT'S FOR DINNER!"

"Excuse me, what am I? Your mother! Go and see your fat wife, she fell over," she heard Ryuu snap at Obi as he'd walked in the door.

"And its takayoki for dinner," she heard Ryuu grumble and then she walked to the living room entrance to see the General standing there with a goofy smile.

Her eyes lit up as he strode over to her and looked down at her stomach.

"Jeez, you're gonna pop any day now-" he began before Shirayuki slapped him upside the head.

"I'm up here, Sir!" she snapped but then her face softened at Obi's playful expression.

He dropped his overnight bag and immediately they were kissing. He pulled her body close to him - well as close as he could get considering the size of her belly - and his hands roamed up to her hair and down her lower back.

"I'm officially on leave, Aki," he said with a grin.

Shirayuki smiled. "Finally."

Obi pulled away and started unbuttoning his jacket, which is something he always did when he got home because he hated the official uniform he always had to wear now.

They sat in each other's arms on the couch, waiting for dinner, and talked about Obi's day. Shirayuki sat up against the couch arm with her legs folded underneath her and Obi laid with his head on her pregnant stomach, his body stretched out across the rest of the couch and his legs crossed over the other couch arm.

Ryuu stared at them from the doorway, watching Obi's animated explanations about how Mitsuhide got told off by his wife in public and then onto how the Brigadier General was old and stupid - their laughter filling the room and Ryuu could only smile.

 _Ancestors...is this what you had planned?_ he thought.

The best decision he ever made was to follow Shirayuki. He was meant to guide her from being a cross-dresser to bringing the Aki family the honor they deserved. In the beginning, he'd only seen failure - what with how bad Shirayuki had been as a soldier at the training camp.

And the only reason he could see of how she improved was Obi.

 _Ancestors...did I do okay? I think I did._


End file.
